Re: ServiceWorkers and background tasks

Is Safari looking to support Javascript ServiceWorkers for background tasks of idle Web Apps?

I have been told that the Safari navigator.geoLocation.watchPosition() method continues to deliver position updates even when the phone screen is off or Safari is in the background. A useful feature but hard on the battery.

Is this the Safari strategy going forward or are ServiceWorkers coming into play?

I find the current Chrome and Firefox plances for a restricted geoLocation API (GeoFencing) particularly debilitating and hope it doesn't get up as a standard.

Keep in mind.. on all iOS devices Javascript is disabled by default in Safari. No ServiceWorkers will ever be executed. All users to your site must manually enable javascript in the settings/safari options. Also keep in mind that 98% of iOS users will never manually turn on javascript just to use 'your' site. I'm working on a serviceworker app as well and came to realize that unless Apple enables javascript on iOS 11 safari by default none of these PWA apps will ever work. Users of your site will simply think your site is broken and move on.

So that begs the question to Apple. Will iOS 11 Safari come with Javascript enabled by default to support PWA apps and ServiceWorkers? I have yet to see anyone discuss this minor (not so minor) detail.

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